diff --git a/common/models/user.json b/common/models/user.json
index 5874419451..521b36f9bf 100644
--- a/common/models/user.json
+++ b/common/models/user.json
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@
         {
           "completedDate": "number",
           "lastUpdated": "number",
+          "numOfAttempts": "number",
           "id": "string",
           "name": "string",
           "completedWith": "string",
diff --git a/server/boot/challenge.js b/server/boot/challenge.js
index fb7da84af7..609d05412b 100644
--- a/server/boot/challenge.js
+++ b/server/boot/challenge.js
@@ -14,20 +14,24 @@ function buildUserUpdate(
   completedChallenge,
   timezone
 ) {
-  const updateData = { $set: {} };
   let finalChallenge;
+  let numOfAttempts = 1;
+  const updateData = { $set: {} };
   const { timezone: userTimezone, challengeMap = {} } = user;
 
   const oldChallenge = challengeMap[challengeId];
   const alreadyCompleted = !!oldChallenge;
 
-
   if (alreadyCompleted) {
     // add data from old challenge
+    if (oldChallenge.numOfAttempts) {
+      numOfAttempts = oldChallenge.numOfAttempts + 1;
+    }
     finalChallenge = {
       ...completedChallenge,
       completedDate: oldChallenge.completedDate,
-      lastUpdated: completedChallenge.completedDate
+      lastUpdated: completedChallenge.completedDate,
+      numOfAttempts
     };
   } else {
     updateData.$push = {
@@ -36,7 +40,10 @@ function buildUserUpdate(
         completedChallenge: challengeId
       }
     };
-    finalChallenge = completedChallenge;
+    finalChallenge = {
+      ...completedChallenge,
+      numOfAttempts
+    };
   }
 
   updateData.$set = {